JEAN THORNTON RETURNS

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A crowd of 200 was waiting at the Key West Airport last night. Waiting for Jean Thornton who was arriving on the Delta flight out of Atlanta.

The crowd yelled and screamed as she descended the plane’s steps. Soon she was hoisted on some burly shoulders and carried into the airport.

Jean is one of the most popular and loved persons in Key West. The Golden Girl. Found gold coins and emeralds when diving with Mel Fisher many years ago. Changed her life!

She was my benefactor also. When escaping Irma, I stayed at her home in Birmingham for 12 days.

Her airport reception is fantasy. Created by me. Everything else true. Thought she was deserving of such a reception. A figment of my imagination.

Welcome back, Jean!

I learn more about Captain Tony each day. His daughter Toni a huge help in acquainting me with him.

Tony had an electric car. Made it himself. Piece by piece, part by part. Inside and out. The car tiny. Maximum speed 3 mph.

There was an airbrush painter by the name of Bill Miller in town for years. A friend Of Captain Tony’s. He painted Tony’s face on the side of the car. Took up half of one side. Painted all kinds of other things on the rest of the car.

Tony had an old Lincoln. Airbrushed by Miller, also.

Tony drove around in the Lincoln with his goat Ruff. Ruff meaaahhhing along the way.

Cape Air is a small regional airliner that had been serving Key West for years. Their planes colorfully painted. One had Tony’s face covering better than half of one side.

A cruise back in time to the 1940s. Next wednesday. A preservation fundraiser for the Custom House. KWAHS has gone all out putting the event together.

Cocktails on the veranda of the Custom House first. Then a walk next door to Magaritaville’s Grand Ballroom. The Ballroom will have been transformed into a luxury cruise liner.

Recommended attire 1940s.

The weather outside is frightful…..No snow. But cold! Last night 63 degrees. At moment 64. High supposedly will reach 70 today. Normalcy returns tomorrow when the temperature will be in the low 80s.

The game plan last night was for me to go to Jack Flatt to watch Syracuse/Ohio State at 7. I laid down around 3:30 for a nap. Woke a little after 6. Too late for Jack Flat. Needed to shave, shower, dress, drive into town, etc.

Stayed home and watched the game.

Syracuse played its best game of the season. Its only good game. Beat Ohio State 72-62.

Ohio State undefeated prior to the game at 6-0. Syracuse 3-2.

It all came together for Syracuse last night. The hit on 3s, played great defense. Boeheim mixed his players up. May have hit on the right combination.

An on the road upset win.

My faith has been restored!

Manafort’s duplicity may save his ass with a Trump pardon. It will not help his attorneys or Trump’s attorneys. Their participation in the scheme borders on the criminal. Ethically, they are over the line. Could cost them their licenses.

Trump leaves today for the G 20 meeting in Argentina. He has a meeting scheduled with his “friend” Putin. The two will leave the meeting arm in arm. Friends!

Trump should be meeting with China’s Xi. The U.S. problem with China big. Sensitive.

What makes me laugh is that Russia benefits every time the U.S. and China conflict. For example, Russia is selling soybeans to China.

In 2 years, Trump has pushed Russia and China closer and closer. They have become bedfellows economically. Lets hope it does not happen militarily.

A big day in history. November 29, 1947. It was on this day 71 years ago that the UN voted for partition of Palestine and the creation of an independent Jewish state.

Conflict ever since. Peace seems impossible. Could be another 71 years and the Jews and Palestinians will still be warring.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

STRANGE THINGS HAPPENING IN HOUSTON

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Strange things happening in Houston.

Sunday evening, something went wrong with a Bank of America ATM. It distributed $100 bills instead of $20’s.

Word spread and soon everyone began walking away with $100 bills. Total amount not yet determined.

Bank of America is investigating to determine if a crime was committed by those who walked away with $100 bills. Typical Bank of America. A banking whore first class.

Recall Bank of America experienced the largest number of mortgage defaults as a result of 2008. Showed no mercy. Foreclosed, foreclosed, foreclosed! They can afford to take a hit/loss in this instance. How bad can it be? An ATM only carries a certain number of each denomination.

There was a book and then movie years ago. Each titled Sex and the Single Girl. Houston recently experienced Sex and the Kinky Dolls.

Prostitution is illegal in Houston. No brothels.

A Toronto based company KinkySdollsS (that is how it is spelled) planned to open a Houston location where customers could buy “adult love dolls” and rent them to others for use in private rooms.

The Houston Council said no. Ok to sell. However the dolls could not be used for sexual activity on the premises.

Houston Council no fun.

KinkySdollsS may sue.

Spent yesterday afternoon working on last night’s podcast. Tuesday Talk with Key  West Lou. An all Trump half hour.

Show went well. Topics moved smoothly. One blending into the next.

The topic I enjoyed doing the most involved the Ukraine/Russia situation. Appears to me that Russia is overreaching once again.

Putin does not agree. Claims the confrontation Ukraine President Poroskenko’s fault. He is running for President again next year and arranged the confrontation to boost his image.

Would you expect less of Putin?

My concern is the possibility of World War III.  Laugh not. Whose side would we be on. I think we are obligated by treaty to assist the Ukraine.

Trump may not like that.

Trump and Putin will meet in the G 20 in South America later this week. I can see it now. Trump will ask Putin if he started the row. Putin will say the Ukraine did. Trump will tell us he believes Putin. Guaranteed.

Tonight, Syracuse/Ohio State at 7. Present plan is to watch the game at Jack Flatt and have dinner at the same time.

Ohio State ranked #16. Syracuse unranked. Ohio State a 5 point favorite.

Some occurrences hard to believe. Good people going bad.

Raimundo Atesiano was recently sentenced to 3 years in jail. At the time of his crime, he was the Police Chief of Biscayne, Florida. A community of 3,000.

He directed his police officers to frame innocent men in a series of unsolved burglaries. Three black men were framed.

The Chief did so for 2 reasons. First, to please white community leaders. Second, to manipulate property claim statistics.

Leaves a person with an uncomfortable feeling. We have become accustomed to officers themselves committing crimes. But A Police Chief?

A Police Chief makes sense. If a President of 330 million can be suspected of crimes, why not a Police Chief of 3,000.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

FIRST COLD SPELL TONIGHT

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I can see those in the cold areas of the country smiling already. Yes, it will be cold in Key West for the next 2 days beginning tonight. I will be cold. I am complaining.

Today’s temperature 80 degrees. Tonight, it will drop to 64. I will have the heat on.

Tomorrow, 69 by date and 63 in the evening.

Then a return to normalcy. Eighty degree weather

Yesterday proved my body is finally back to normal. Ran a few errands by day. Last night out.

Aqua first for Dueling Bartenders. Not “dueling” for a while. Tom Luna on a 6 month sabbatical. Rick Dery ran the show alone. Spectacular! However had to be tired at the end. He sang every song!

My dear friend Liz at the bar. Liz is waning. Hurts. I like her so much. Wish I had met her 15-20 years ago. My friend who was Dean of 2 law schools. I chatted with her a while. Each word she spoke took effort.

Josefina, Linda and Mary singing along with everyone else.

Afterwards, Mary and I had dinner at the bar at La Trattoria. Where I really put my body to the test.

I had limited myself to 2 drinks at Aqua. Enjoyed a third at La Trattoria. And a plate of lasagna. Oh, what a night it was!

Sat next to Dink Bruce. Dink a Key West legend. Everyone likes Dink. That kind of guy.

Dink and some of Hemingway’s artifacts, writings, etc. related.

Dink’s father Toby Bruce. He and Hemingway tight. Together every day.

When Hemingway died, he left behind a pile of boxes in Sloppy Joe’s back room. Hemingway’s fourth wife Mary Welsh Hemingway visited to go through the boxes. She took with her what she thought valuable. Gave the rest to Toby and his wife Betty.

No one bothered to categorize the contents of the boxes till 15 years ago. Most importantly, Hemingway’s first writing. One he did at the age of 10. Other items included additional writings, photos, notes, pieces of his hair, and prints.

Bruce and Betty long gone. Contents now the property of their son Dink.

Dink told me last night Penn State is interested in the contents. He is in negotiations at the present time with Penn State.

Love tuesday nights! My podcast show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me at 9 for a fast moving half hour of me venting and raving about things. Fun to do! Guaranteed you will enjoy. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

I slammed Trump hard yesterday for the use of tear gas at the border. Wrong place, wrong time for such an horrendous act.

Blame has to be spread. Obama’s use of tear gas at the border makes Trump look like an angel.

I was not aware of Obama’s use yesterday when I wrote.

Obama used the same type tear gas frequently. Twenty six times in 2012, 27 times in 2013. Then its usage dropped off. In 2016, only 3 times.

Obama authorized pepper spray on occasion, also.

The Trump administration has come up with another bright idea. Credit scores to be used to determine who may become a citizen. Anyone with poor scores would be ineligible.

The purpose is to prevent immigrants from becoming a burden on the welfare system.

Makes me wonder how my family would have fared under such a rule.

My people came from Italy between 1900 and 1915. Peasants. Third class steerage. Not a pot to piss in, as the saying goes.

This first group worked hard. Most succeeded in living a step above the poverty level.

My mother a most interesting story. She came over as a child. Lived in New York City. Her father had a stroke. She had to leave school while in the third grade to work 14 hours a day in a shoe factory.

They all became citizens. Their children became the stars. Only because of the stringent upbringing which pushed them to do better.

None would have become citizens if the credit score rule were in effect. What would have happened to me and my many cousins?Would we have been able to become the successful professional and business people we did?

Trump campaigned big time on the representation he would bring jobs back. He has done a poor job so far.

It was announced yesterday that General Motors would be getting rid of 14,000 jobs and closing 5 plants. A winner, Mr. President!

Recall he also promised that coal plants would return. Where?

Aluminum companies, also. Good luck!

And then there is the farming industry. Totally mucked up because of the tariff wars. Soybeans, wheat and corn hit especially hard. Soybean sales down 94 percent this year.

Then there is the stock market. Down 2,500 points since early October. Erratic. Up and down hundreds of points each week. If it drops another 2,500 point, we will be in a recession big time.

I believe a recession possible. Between now and late spring. The world is too turbulent.

And so on.

Enjoy your day!

 

CONGRATULATIONS MR. PRESIDENT, YOU DID IT AGAIN…..CHILDREN BAREFOOT, IN DIAPERS, CHOKING ON TEAR GAS

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First, it was ripping babies from their mothers’ arms. Now, tear gassing children barefooted and diapered.

You are a big man Mr. President. A bully.

Next bullets fired and immigrant parents and children killed and wounded?

What could be expected of a people who have walked 2,000 miles in hope of gaining admission to the U.S. The beaming light at the top of the hill is growing dim.

If I had walked 2,000 miles, I would have run up the hill trying to get into the U.S. as were the asylum seekers. Persons having every right to enter the U.S., be interviewed by a Judge to determine if they might be eligible for asylum status, and then given a date to return.

In the meantime, you are trying to “buy” Mexico to help with “our” problem. The money being offered will have to be gigantic to bribe the new Mexican officials to go along with any arrangement.

The backlog of asylum cases is estimated at 1 million with a projected time of 2 years to be heard. You and your predecessors should have appointed more Judges years ago to work the problem.

One more thing my President, you are solely responsible for the critical situation now existing at the border. You have created it with your thrusting fear into the hearts of some Americans about the bad immigrants on their way to hurt us. A falsehood you well knew and continue to know.

You did the same thing with Kim Jung Un. Got into a pissing match with him. Names exchanged. War possible. Suppose Kim decided to drop a nuclear device on South Korea or the U.S. instead of meeting with you? It was possible. Hundreds of thousands dead because of your ill equipped mind.

People are going to continue trying to cross the border till you come up with a better solution. One to help, not hurt them.

Barbra Strunk reads this blog. Has so for some time. Never met her.

She is a stalwart Trump supporter. We are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Adamant in her feelings. I can sense it when she responds to something negative I might have said about him. She hits hard!

There are times when Barbra will write a pleasant  friendly e-mail re my health or some other thing. Such messages are sweet. Gives one the sense Barbra is a nice person.

Barbra lives somewhere in north Florida. Spoke with her for the first time sunday morning. She is visiting Key West. Stopped at Hard Rock to hear Terri sing. She and Donna began talking. All of a sudden, Donna had Barbra on the phone with me.

What a nice person!

Barbra is here till friday. Hope we get together before she leaves.

Beard or no beard? Should have run a contest as to whether I would shave. Received about 20 comments. Equally divided. Male and female. Leave it on, take it off.

I took it off. Decided I looked homeless with it on. That and the weight loss. Decided I did not want to go another week developing it.

Out last night for the first time in a week. Planned on hitting all my favorite spots. It was the Chart Room first. John bartending.

John put a Beefeater on the rocks in front of me. I lit up a cigarette. The first for both in a week. Could not handle either. Two sips of the gin and 2 drags on the cigarette. Neither tasted right. Instead a diet Coke.

Left soon after. I was having no fun. Did not feel right. Probably because I have not physically moved my body for a week. I have to walk a bit today.

The Key West Cemetery is an interesting place. A lot of odd ball tombstones. Perhaps ghosts. I am not sure.

Two tombstones of particular interest.

One is the world famous headstone which reads” “I Told You I Was Sick.” Sits on the grave of B. P. “Pearl” Roberts.

The other is referred to as the Bound Woman. This one cool!

It is located as part of the grave of Archibald John Sheldon Yates. A statue of a nude woman with her hands bound behind her back. It sits at/on the head of Yates’ grave. On top of a long flat stone under which is Yates’ body.

Who is the lady and why? Part of a perverted joke by the deceased? Key West had its funky moments in his day also.

Two reasons as to who and why. Not sure which is correct.

One is that the naked bound woman represents Yates’ wife Magdalena. It is said he expressly told his son before he died that he wanted her to sit upon him for all eternity.

A problem. Uncertainty as to whether it represents his wife.

Another theory is that it represents Andromeda from Greek mythology. She was bound naked hands tied to a rock as a sacrifice to the sea monster Cetus. She was saved before the terrible event occurred.

There are a number of paintings of Andromeda as she was awaiting death. Some naked, some clothe from the waist down. Most standing tied to a rock. None similar to the supposed Andromeda sitting on Yates’ face.

My dear friend of many years Cheryl Keast sent me a FB message yesterday with an attachment. The attachment read: “Unpacked our Nativity scene yesterday. Removed all the Jews, Arabs, and foreigners. Ended up with a jackass and a handful of sheep.”

Enjoy your day!

BEARD or NO BEARD

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Without question, I am well! God bless!

Felt ok yesterday. Thought about going out. Decided to remain in and try eating normally first. Toast with preserves for lunch. Dinner, a Thanksgiving meal. Several had sent Thanksgiving dinners.

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and pumpkin pie. Easy. Did not over indulge.

Handled it all without a problem.

Watched Syracuse/Boston College in the afternoon. Syracuse won 42-21. Season over. Syracuse’s record 9-3. The best in 18 years. The best team we have had in 18 years. Finally! We are thankful Lord. Next week bowl bids will be announced.

The issue to be decided today is beard or no beard. I have gone a week without shaving. The start of a beard obvious. Messy, however. I look like a bum. Another week and it will look ok.

What to do? Not sure yet.

Wore a beard for 2 years several years ago. Enjoyed it. No shaving. A light trim once a week. Thought it went well with a bald head.

Problem is I am not sure my vanity will permit me to go the next week to get to the ok zone.

I plan on a normal Sunday out and about. The Chart Room, Blue Macaw, Rum Bar, and Sandy’s Cafe. Publix, too. Little food I had had to be dumped.

No Name Pub. A dining establishment of renown in the lower Keys. Pizza, chili, burgers, fries, etc.

I have not been there in a year. It’s a once or twice a year place. Sits in the deep woods outside Big Pine. On No Name Key. That is how it got its name.

People go for 2 reasons. The adventure in finding the place and the food. You can get lost. Proof of the pudding is a sign outside: You Found It!

The place is funky as is the food. An old beat up 2 story home. Tradition is to nail dollar bills to the walls and ceilings with your name and the date signed on them. Then try to locate the next time you are there. Impossible. There’s another $10-20 stapled over your bill!

Irma did minimal damage.

No Name Pub was a whore house back in the late 1930’s into the early 1940’s. Most famous old houses in the Keys were at some time in days long gone by.

Quotes turn me on. Words of wisdom generally from one smarter than I. Came across a Ernest Hemingway one yesterday: “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.”

Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn were required reading in my third year American literature college class. Tom Sawyer written first. Huck a character in it. Then Huckleberry Finn with Huck in the starring role.

The quote brought to mind Huck, Tom, Jim, and Pap Finn.

Wow! One of the great writers of all time acknowledging  a predecessor as perhaps even a greater writer.

Came across a Biblical quote yesterday also. Referring to women who cheat. Violate their marital vows. Before you get all discombobulated, I appreciate men do also.

The quote hit a sensitive cord. Reminded me of divorces involving persons close to me or who I randomly knew where the lady strayed. Proverbs 14:1 “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.”

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson played a match against each other a couple of days ago. The prize $9 million. Winner takes all!

Mickelson won on the 22nd hole.

A big prize! Turner Broadcasting the sponsor. The match on TV. Pay for view. $19.95. The reason why so much can be paid to the winner of such a sporting event.

A glitch occurred.A Bleacher Report Line ran it free. Everyone is being reimbursed their $19.95.

Lineage difficult and costly to trace. Someone did. The result amazing.

It was 1620. John Howland was on the Mayflower traveling to the new world. He was to serve a period of time as an indentured servant upon arrival.

The Mayflower carried 132, including crew.

A furious storm arose. Caused the Mayflower to lay heave. A rogue wave rode over the vessel. Howland was caught by it. He grabbed a line as he was thrown overboard. He was carried beneath the waves. Fortunately, the crew was able to pull him back in.

Extremely fortunate they did. American history would not have been the same if Howland went down and stayed down.

Howland worked off his indenture servant obligation. Married Elizabeth Tilley. They had 10 children who produced 88 grandchildren.

The 88 grandchildren over the next 200 years produced 200 million American descendants.

Including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Joseph Smith, Dr. Benjamin Spock, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Humphrey Bogart, Chevy Chase, Alec Baldwin, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush.

Appreciate further from whence they all came. The reason they sought the new world. Howland and the others on the Mayflower were religious outcasts from Europe. A “migrant caravan” of sorts. These “migrants” changed the world for the better.

Enjoy your Sunday! I plan on enjoying mine!

 

 

MY HEALTH / TRUMP’S HEALTH

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Yesterday morning, I felt terrific. Later in the afternoon, lousy again.

Not the usual problems that had knocked me on my ass this week. Merely pain. Stomach pain. Here, there and everywhere. Stayed with me till about 4 this morning. Got no sleep.

I know I am healing. Forced myself to eat a light meal last night. Kept it down, enjoyed it.

Which brings me to Donald Trump and his health.

I am 83 and in relatively good shape….so my doctor’s tell me. Losing the 62 pounds helped. Trump is 72 years old. A fat ass. He should lose 62 pounds. Or, he might not be here at 83.

The Presidency requires extraordinary physical strength and stamina. It’s go, go, go.

Trump looks like a walking advertisement for a heart attack. His life style adds to it. His daily lunches of MacDonald cheeseburgers don’t help. His LDL cholesterol level has to be at the scary level.

I may not agree with Trump philosophically. However, I wish him no evil. He better get on a healthy regimen if he wants to finish his term, see Barron marry, etc.

Were you aware Key West has a nun cemetery? I did not know. Picked up on it this morning in the Shoestring Weekends blog.

The cemetery is located in the Gardens of the St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Church. Eighteen ladies of God lie there. The cemetery area is gated. A sign above the gate reads: Our Lady Of Lourdes Pray For Us.

There is a bust of a nun near the entrance. Appears to have been there for ages. Black hooded, her face pale. Pale enough to look ghostly.

Only nuns who have serviced the parish and school may lie there.

Stock Island is maturing. Its identity developing. Turning into a playland.

Tomorrow night at sunset a holiday tree lighting ceremony. At Fishbusterz on Maloney Avenue.

Former Congressman Ron Paul always watched the buck when in Congress. He opposed waste.

Paul says the military budget is out of control. Presently, $2.7 trillion. He claims spending could be 75 percent less and still keep us safe.

The Pentagon’s pissing money away has nothing to do with defense. He claims the money is wasted “prepping up” the lifestyles of those connected to the military industrial complex.

Recall Eisenhower warned us. In his speech when leaving the White House, he warned: “Beware of the military industrial complex.”

I have warned over the past several years of military waste. Billions cannot be found in an audit. Something amiss.

Franklin Roosevelt was confronted with a fear of wasteful military spending. It was 1940 and World War II was around he corner. The U.S. had started gearing up for it.

In March 1941, the Truman Committee was formed. One of Key West’s favorite people appointed to head it because he was honest and a penny pincher. Harry Truman.

The Committee was bipartisan. Never a problem. All votes unanimous.

The Committee began with $10 billion in defense contracts. Its responsibility to look out for waste, inefficiency and war profiteering.

A time, responsibility and attention to duty long gone. A different breed of people. Probably never to return again.

Big Syracuse game at noon. Football against Boston College. In Boston. For years, every other year when the game was played in Boston, a caravan of couples would drive to Boston for the weekend. Fun!

Boston favored by 7.

Thirty four years ago on this day, Boston College was playing Miami in the Orange Bowl. With 20 seconds left, Miami scored a touchdown to go ahead. With close to no time left on the clock, Boston quarterback Doug Flutie threw a Hail Mary pass. Let it go and hope!

Caught by his teammate and roommate Gerard Phelsan. Boston College won 47-45.

I missed that game.

An economist I am not. However I have lived a long life, made some money, lost some money, learned. I have been predicting a major recession for the end of this year or the beginning of next.

Since early in October when the DOW was at an all time high of 26,951.81, it has dropped 2,500 points. Significant.

Most economist are predicting a recession by the end of next year or early 2020. They also predict it could occur anytime if the DOW drops below 2000.

Causes include Trump’s tariff wars, interest rates on the rise, and Trump’s overall instability in world matters.

Note any recession will be worse than 2008 and probably worse than 1929. The whole world will be affected.

Enjoy your day! I am not sure yet which direction mine may take.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALIVE AGAIN!

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This getting sick is literally a pain. Not just in the ass, everywhere in the body. Hits suddenly, disappears several days later almost as quickly.

It was around 8 monday morning. Felt great. All at once, I knew I was going to be sick. Came on me that suddenly. It was a mad dash to the bathroom.

Continued all that day into the evening and the next morning.

I felt like absolute shit.

Saw the doctor tuesday. Told me a bug going around. Viral. Nothing he could do. Take Pepto Bismol and drink Gatorade. He assured me it would pass. I did not believe him.

Started feeling better yesterday. Stayed in. Did not attend the 3 Thanksgiving meals I had been invited to.

Woke this morning to discover I was well again! Like nothing had happened. An hurrah feeling! God bless America! Thank God!

My Key West ghosts inspections continue. I had asked Captain Tony’s daughter Toni Tarraceno if she had ever seen the Blue Lady ghost that is said to frequent her Dad’s bar.

She told me there are some who believe. She is one. Claims she saw the Blue Lady on one occasion. She has also seen pictures of the Blue Lady. A transparent blue haze. I have seen some of the pics.

Toni said when she younger, she would hang out at the bar alone after closing. Some evenings, she felt a “gentle press”  as if people were around her.

I have done further digging. There is a story surrounding the headstones in the bar. Don’t go with the story being told. Product of the ghost tours.  There were none in the bar back when. Might have have been the by product of some of the tour guides to fan the flames re the ghosts.

This morning’s KONK Life E-Blast contains a photograph of what is now Flagler Ave. The caption beneath says taken this date 1899. Cannot be correct.

The bottom left corner has an inscription: “County Road Looking Key West to Town.” Beneath it the date February 8, 1906.

Whatever, the photo is interesting. As far as the eye can see, pure mud. No concrete, no sidewalks, no nothing. The road must have been in the early stages of construction.

On each side were beds of water. Then a see through fence. On the other side of the fence, workers performing farm work.

The lovely homes that dominate much of Flagler were yet to be built.

John Kennedy was assassinated November 22, 1963. They say that most people can recall exactly where they were at the time.

I was a young lawyer. Twenty eight. My small office was in a large 14 floor building. A small coffee shop was on the second floor.

I had missed lunch so went downstairs around 2 for a sandwich.

Except for the cook, I was the only one there. Till William Goldbas came in.

Goldbas was a distinguished elderly attorney in the Utica area. In his late 70’s or early 80’s. The word was he had been a formidable criminal trial attorney in his day.

Goldbas used to travel to New York City during Prohibition to represent prominent Mafia figures charged with crimes. An adept skillful attorney. A man to be respected.

He sat with me and we chatted.

All of a sudden, the news came over the radio. Kennedy shot, Kennedy dead.

Tears ran to my eyes. I was crying. Looked at Goldbas, he was crying. Heavy tears.

That is how people felt back then. It was our country, our President. We all hurt. I wonder if the reaction would be the same today.

The White House yesterday authorized lethal force to be used by the U.S. military at the border. In effect, permitting soldiers to act in a law enforcement capacity and use lethal force if necessary.

How long do we permit Trump to take illegal actions? Even a President is bound by the law.

It is clear, the Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the deployment of the U.S. military within the borders of the U.S. They are not allowed to be armed nor to shoot. Under present circumstances, that is left to the National Guard, Border Guards and ICE. All who are and have been at the border.

What irritates the hell out of me is that Trump lacked the courage to at least sign his own “order” giving the shooting permission. Instead he turned to Chief of Staff John Kelly. Kelly signed a”memo” authorizing that which is illegal.

When is the last time any of us heard of the Chief of Staff signing something of major consequence for our nation?

A Chief of Staff is assistant to the President, oversees the Executive Offices, selects and supervises key White House staff, controls access to the Oval Office and President, manages communications and information flow, negotiates with Congress, executive branch agencies and external political groups to implement a President’s agenda.

Nowhere do I see authority for a Chief of Staff to issue whatever signed by him altering/changing the direct impact of a law.

I thought Kelly had it when he first took the job as Chief of Staff. He has been a total disappointment.

Trump told us yesterday that thousands of migrants have reached the U.S. border checkpoint near Tijuana, Mexico. No one else has.

He claims 500 criminals are in the group. Anyone verify it?

We continue to be in trouble my friends.

I am exhausted. Totally and absolutely. As fresh as I was when I started today’s blog, my ass is now dragging. Amazing!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

LOVE IN ITS PUREST FORM

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Thanksgiving in the air. Mentioned everywhere.

O. Henry was a famous short story writer from long ago. A giant. He said re Thanksgiving…..There is one day that is ours. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American.

O. Henry’s name brought to mind one of his short stories. One dealing with man’s most sensitive emotion: Love. “The Gift of the Magi.”

I had not thought of the Magi gift story for at least 50 years. Till yesterday. A love story involving Christmas.

The Gift of the Magi involves a young couple very much in love. Della and Jim. Christmas was at hand. Neither had enough money to buy the other a gift.

Each sold their most prized possession.

Della had beautiful hair. She loved it. People commented her on it. She had her hair cut and sold in order to purchase a platinum FOB chain for Jim’s watch.

Unbeknownst, Jim sold his valuable watch in order to buy Della jeweled combs for her hair.

Love in its purest form.

I have only so much blood to give. My orange blood.

I spent yesterday afternoon watching Notre Dame beat Syracuse in football 36-3. Total destruction. Did not expect it. Thought Syracuse might win.

Basketball season has begun. Football and basketball overlap this time of the year. Syracuse played 2 basketball games in the past few days. Lost both. Not even close.

Depression does not accurately describe how I felt. So low, I had to look up to see bottom. Ugh!

Following the game, showered, dressed and was out to meet friends for dinner. Almost decided not to go because of how I felt. Glad I did go, however.

Dinner was with Donna and Terri and Andrea and Joe at Conch Republic. A couple of drinks, good food, excellent company and I felt better.

Oysters and stone crabs! The oysters large and delicious. The stone crabs…..Oh, so good.

On the way home, I made a brief stop at the Chart Room. Not many people. Sat and chatted with John a while. He had just made fresh popcorn. The smell got to be. Enjoyed a small bowel.

Elections still in the air. Reminds me of a Key West election 29 years ago. Captain Tony Tarraceno was running for Mayor. His fourth try. Lost in his previous 3 attempts.

His platform simple: Save as much of the old days and ways as possible.

The New York Times and Wall Street Journal endorsed him. Would you believe!

Captain Tony was of the opinion that it took him so long to win because of 2 factors. One, he kissed mothers instead of babies. Second, he used a certain 4 letter word too often.

The Washington Post interviewed him about his use of the word, its effect on his running, etc. The Captain’s response: “I just hope everybody in Key West who uses that word votes for me. If they do, I’ll win in a landslide.”

Apparently enough did. He won the fourth time.

Anti-Semitism is history’s oldest hatred. A creeping sickness. Like cancer.

It is on the rise world wide. Dramatically in Europe and the United States.

A huge problem in France. France has the largest population of Jews than any European country.

Anti-Semitism’s ugly head evidencing itself in the United States in recent years. Incidents of anti-Semitism up 57 percent in 2017. The new-Nazi party has come out of the darkness. Fearlessly open about their hatred. Reveal it in demonstrations.

A form of neo-Nazism has developed in Israel. Not Israelis against Israelis. Rather, Israelis against Palestinians. Israel’s tendencies against the Palestinians described as “Judeo-Nazi tendencies.”

Netanyahu bears the major responsibility. Molded in the same form as Trump. Authoritarian. Nationalistic. A despot in the making. A war monger. He wants to destroy the Palestinians and engage in a war against Iran.

Netanyahu under investigation in his country as Trump in his.

Netanyahu continues to be reelected so I am not sure how his people feel about him. I wonder how Jews outside Israel feel about his Palestinian and Iranian moves.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

AMERICA’S SEXUAL RECESSION

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Would you believe…..America in the midst of a sex recession?

It is. Responsibility falls upon teenagers and young adults. Less sex apparently better.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Survey covering 1991-2017 startling. High school students having sex has dropped from 54 percent to 40 percent.

In other words in the space of a generation, sex has gone from something most high school students experienced to something most haven’t.

Oral sex has not been substituted. The rate for oral sex has remained steady.

Teen pregnancies down dramatically, also.  Dropped to a third of its modern high.

Two reasons why sex frequency if falling. One, the internet. Porn is being substituted by both sexes for sex with a partner. The other, young people are partnering less.

The pendulum has swung. The modern libido is down.

I am not a happy camper this morning. Two reasons. Syracuse lost and I did not sleep all night. The two unrelated.

Syracuse went down to Connecticut 83-76. It was Connecticut’s game all the way.

I don’t understand. Syracuse’s starting 5 has returned. New recruits terrific. The bench deep for the first time in years. Four players supposedly excellent 3 point shooters. Syracuse’s defense supposedly great.

Nothing helped last night.

Syracuse attempted few 3 pointers. Second game  a row. When the team did, the ball rarely went in. Connecticut could hardly miss a 3 pointer. If my recollection is correct, they made 12.

I fell asleep around 10. Woke just after midnight. No television. Comcast was down all the way. No internet e-mail, television or land line. The internet came back on at 6 this morning. TV at 8:30.

I need TV to sleep. I substituted it for book reading at bed time years ago. I leave the TV on all night. Sleep poorly. When I wake, I watch whatever is on for a while and fall back to sleep.

My crutch, the TV set, was not there.

In recent months, Comcast’s service has been sporadic. Pisses me off. We depend on its services. It should be reliable.

Comcast owns NBC. I do not see NBC suffering from glitches. Only we poor peasants who depend on Comcast for internet e-mail, TV and land lines.

I have vented!

My yesterday simple. Haircut with Lori and lunch at Sandy’s Cafe. Spent the afternoon home researching. My excitement level rising as the day reached 7 in the evening when the Syracuse/Connecticut game would begin.

Those of you who live up north laugh not. A cold spell is upon us today. The high will only be 75. That’s cold in Key West. Tonight, the temperature is expected to drop to 71. Really cold! Quilt time.

Key West has many pleasant experiences. One, its sunsets. Always a canvas. Different strokes each evening.

Water surrounds the Keys. Those living here develop a love and respect for those who live in the ocean.

Twin one year old manatees were in trouble. Their mother accidentally killed by a boat strike. Manatee calves stay with their mothers one to two years. The twins were not yet able to do well on their own.

They were found stressed out more than a year ago in waters off Key Largo. Weighed about 100 pounds each. Rescued by the Dolphin Research Center. Named Millennium and Falcon.

Transferred to the Miami Sea Aquarium. Subsequently sent to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio for rehabilitation.

All better, they were recently released back into the waters off Key Largo.

The musical Sound of Music opened this day in 1959 on Broadway. An instantaneous hit!

I saw the show the following July. Actually, July 4. My first musical.

I was in New York studying for the bar exam. Six weeks. I already had put 4 in. Seven hours a day of lecture, the rest of the time studying. Seven days a week.

We had 2 days off . The 4th and one day adjoining it.

My wife and I had not seen each other in 4 weeks. She came down for the 2 days. Our blood was boiling. Except for seeing Sound of Music, we basically stayed in bed.

Our daughter Beth was conceived over those 2 days.

Florida is one screwed up State when it comes to ballot counting. This year no different. Broward County handed in its recount numbers 2 minutes late. Election officials refused to accept them. Thousands of votes will not count if a court does not reverse the decision.

Recall 2000. Bush/Gore. It all came down to a recount in Florida. Chads!

Not the first time Florida was in such a position. The 1876 Rutherford Hayes and Samuel Tilden Presidential election ended in a mess. Tilden won the popular vote. Four States had election day problems. Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Oregon.

Hayes Republican, Tilden Democrat.

Tilden was short one electoral vote.

The war was on!

Several months of bitter partisan wrangling. Finally, a special electoral commission was appointed to resolve the issue. Partisan politics here, also. Republicans picked the members. The commission ended up with one more Republican member than the Democrats.

Florida’s contested votes, together with those of the other three States, were awarded to Hayes.

The Democrats lost the first time. They lost again in the Bush/Gore dispute. It appears they will lose this time in the Governor and Senate races which are in dispute.

Trump an unhappy camper also today. The media tells us he has been so for several days. Deep anxiety has set in. The Democratic blue wave disheartens him. The Mueller investigation appears to be winding down. He has concern for not only himself, but also his family and friends.

He returned to tweeting about Mueller and his investigation yesterday. Trump says the Mueller investigation is a mess, there is no collusion, absolutely no collusion, Mueller and his people are shouting at each other. All a disgrace to the Nation.

Who truly is the disgrace?

Enjoy your day! Dress warm!

 

 

 

 

 

 

TONI TARRACINO SHARES HER LEGACY

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Captain Tony is a Key West legend. An icon. Remembered. Revered.

His former bar on Greene Street still bears his name. The bar inside and out as it was in his day.

Toni one of his children. Today, a concierge at the Marriott Beachside. Plus involved in a multitude of other things like marrying people, planning weddings, painting and blog writing.

Her blog is titled Sharing My Key West Legacy. http://tonitarracino.com. One of the best I have read. She has her hands on everything Key West.

I told Toni her material was so good I would be plagiarizing her recollections on occasion.

She wrote of the West Martello Fort. Its history. Today home of the Garden Club and a wedding venue. She mentions the Autograph Tree. Never heard of it. Yet, she knew.

The tree stands at the entrance to the Fort. People have scratched and otherwise written their names and initials on the leaves over the years.

Another story involves the fish sitting on the outside of Capt. Tony’s bar.  Second floor level. People always turning their backs to the fish and trying to throw quarters into its open mouth.

Toni shared the origin of the custom.

As a girl, she helped out at the bar. There actually was a slow season then. The summer. The bar was hot. She and other staff would take benches outside and sit on them. The heat inside too much.

One of those sitting with Toni was a rabid Larry Bird fan. He used to stand, yell “top of the key” and try to throw quarters in the fish’s mouth.

Toni and friends thought it too hot for him to do it as he was. They convinced him to stand on the curb on his toes with his back to the fish.And then try to successfully throw quarters into the fish’s mouth.

A tradition was born. You know the story. A continuing event born out of heat, boredom, and today a bit of alcohol.

My Key West yesterday.

A manicure with Tammy. Business slow. Will pick up next week. Tammy said women like to pretty up for Thanksgiving.

Then a visit with  Dr. Norris. He’s not concerned with what now has been determined to be a ligament or muscle protruding on the left side of my neck. Five inches long. I feared it was my carotid and I was heading for a stroke.

A late lunch at Cuban Coffee Queen. The Queen I was at is in the bowels of Key Lime Square. As is Dr. Norris’ office. I sat looking down the Square towards Southard. It was quiet. Peaceful. Few people. Sun hitting the trees and foliage just right. A relaxing moment.

On the way home, I drove pass David Wolkowsky’s home on Flagler. Someone was working on his Rolls Royce or some ancient roadster. The hood was up. David had two vintage vehicles. Each close to 100 years old.

Last night, Blue Macaw. Enjoyed!

Joe and Andrea back after 2 weeks in Ohio. Good to see them again. Terri singing. Donna at the bar, of course.

More Key West nostalgia.

Some small guys enjoy big ladies. Especially sexually. In 1993, Rocky was out and about. Rocky a 7 pound male Chihuahua. He saw an 80 pound female Rottweiler. One or both in heat. The dirty deed was done. The 80 pound Rott got pregnant.

The Rottweiler’s owners sued. I have no idea what the offspring looked like. In any event, the Rott owners won. The court awarded them $2,567.50.

Pythons have overtaken southern Florida. Actual number unknown. Estimated to be in excess of one million. Cannot be eradicated. Hopefully contained.

The government hires snake hunters. One recently killed the largest ever. A 17 foot 5 inch python weighing 120 pounds. In the Homestead area.

Imagine the beauty wrapping itself around you.

Another problem now out of control are iguanas. The State failed to pay attention. They eat our flowers and defecate in our pools. They are all over the roadways. A danger to driving.

The State has commenced a program to get rid of the iguanas. I hope it is not too late as with the pythons.

Tonight, Syracuse/Connecticut play basketball at 7 in Madison Square Garden. Two former Big East foes. Syracuse ranked #15 nationally. Connecticut not ranked.

I will be home watching the game.

A cold spell coming in. The temperature will be 75 degrees tomorrow. Down from 85 in one day. Most Key Westers will say they love it. I will say I’m cold! Just how it affects me.

Never got to the notes re world events I wanted to share. All less than a week old. Perhaps tomorrow. I got carried away today with Key West items.

Enjoy your day!